Hand-hammer



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HAND HAMMER.

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CLARENCE MOQLELAN EVELETH, OF PLYMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

HAN D-UHAMMER.

SPEUIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,967, dated June 11,1895.

' Application filed Maize, 1894. 3 Serial No. 512,541. (NomodeL) tonand'Stat of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hand-Hammers, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

This invention relates to hand ham mers provided with a claw at one endof their heads, for drawing or removing nails which have been driveninto wood or other work. The'more particular object of the invention isto pull out the nails without marring the work they are being extractedfrom, and more conven-' iently orwith lesseffort; also wherebythe nailsmay be drawn without bending and consequently be left in a condition tobe readily used over again.

The invention consists in a hammer of novel construction and providedwith special attachments, including aplunger which is made separate fromthe handle, slides within a socket in the hammer and is adapted toproject beyond the hammer head, substantially as hereinafter described,whereby the hammer: is provided with an adjustable bearing or fulcrumoveror at one side of which the nails may be drawn, and the objectshereinbefore named are secured.

' Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorrespondingparts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a mainly sectional longitudinal view'of my improvedhammer in part with its plunger extended and showing the hammer as inthe act of drawing a nail. Fig. 2 is a partly-sectional longitudinalview' of the hammer in part, taken also, as in Fig. 1, through'thehammer-head in direction of its length,-but showing the plunger as shutdown or within the hammer. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the linea: or in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the plunger-headhereinafter more particularly described, and Fig. 5 is a transversesection of the same on the line y yin Fig. 4.

A isthe head of the hammer, 1) its claw end and cits socket.

D is a plunger-fitted to slide within the socket c and adapted to beprojected more or less outward therefrom by a spring (1, within thewooden handle E of the hammer, when said plunger is released fromengagement with a dog or finger latch G, which release is effected bypressing down on the back end of the latch against the pressure of aspring e that holds the latch at its forward end engaged with any one ofa series of notchesfin one side of the plunger.

J is a rubber or other cushion on the upper end or head of the plungerto prevent marring the wood or work M, when the nailNis being drawn bythe hammer and the outer end of the plunger D is projected up againstthe work, as shown in Fig. 1. The cushion J may be attached .to theplunger headin any suitable or preferred manner, as for instance inFig.1 the body of the plunger is shown as provided with a socket inwhich fits snugly a correspondingly shaped lug or projection onthe underside of the cushion, and a pinj is passed through the body of theplunger and said lug or projection. In Figs. 4 and 5 the plunger head isshown as provided with notches j in its sides, in which notches fitloops 9' integral with the cushion J. A small screw g enteringalongitudinal groove h in the plunger prevents the latter from beingthrown entirely out of the hammer by the spring at when the latch G iswholly released from engagement with the plunger.

A small bolt or wire rod F, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, is locatedin the handle E, the

upper end of said bolt or rod having a hookshaped head adapted to enteran aperture in one side of the socket E near its lower end. In practicethis bolt or rod extends through the wooden handle E and is threaded atits outer end and provided with a nut similar to those employed in thehandles of carpenters hand-saws. The rod or bolt F serves, when its nutis screwed up, to hold the handle of the hammer in the socket, and,being located at the claw side of the hammer, prevents the joint betweenthe socket c and handle E from opening under the strain on theclaws ofthe hammer, in drawing a nail.

The spring d which throws out the plunger D, is sufficiently guided bythe walls of the recess in the handle E, so long as it is within suchrecess, butin order that when the plunger is thrown out, the part ofthespring which then extends beyond the handle shall have a guide toprevent it from doubling up in such a way as to prevent pressing theplunger back into place, I secure a rod or wire (1' to the base of theplunger, either by inserting such rod or wire in a socket in the plungerand applying solder at that point, or by threading the socket and therod or wire and turning the latterinto place. This wire or rod should beof sufficient length to reach to the handle E when the plunger is fullyextended.

When drawing a nail N for instance, from the work M, the finger ispressed down on the back end of the latch G, which releases the latterfrom engagement with the plunger D, that then is shot forward or outwardat its cushion end againstthe work M. The finger is then removed fromthe latch and the nail is drawn by the claw of the hammer, thelatch Ghaving then self-engaged itself with the plunger. If by this operationthe nail is not entirely drawn',the operation may be repeated. In thisway or by these means, the hammer is provided with an expansible andcontractible or adjustable bearing or fulcrum, at a fixed point orthereabout on the work, while the nail is being drawn, without marringthe work, and the nail may be drawn with less effort by reason of themore efiective fulcrum. The nail may also be drawn straight or Withoutbending. The handle too is not liable to break and is or may be alwayskept at the same angle with the hammer head while drawing the nail.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination with the handle and the claw-headsecured thereto and provided with a socket aligned with said handle, ofa plunger movably mounted in said socket with one end flattened andadapted to be adjusted to project at different distances beyond the headto form a fulcrum for the claw, and means for locking said plunger insaid socket, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the handle and the claw-head secured thereto andprovided with a socket aligned with said handle, of a plunger movablymounted in said socket with one end adapted to be adjusted to project atdifferent distances beyond the head and provided with a cushion adaptedto form a fulcrum for the claw, and means for locking said plunger insaid'socket, substantially as set points in the movement of thelatter,substantially as and for the purpose or purposes herein set forth.

4. The combination of the handle and the claw-head secured thereto andprovided with a socket aligned with said handle, a plunger movablymounted in said socket with one end adapted to be adjusted to project atdifferent distances beyond the head and form a fulcrum for the claw, aspring arranged in the socket beneath the plunger and adapted to throwthe same and means for locking said plunger in said socket,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the handle, and the claw-head secured thereto, andprovided with a socket in alignment therewith, of a grooved plungermovably mounted in said socket with one end adapted to project therefromand form a fulcrum for the claw, one face of said plunger being providedwith a series of rack teeth, a latch mounted on the head and adapted toengage said ratchet teeth, a spring arranged in said socket under saidplunger, and a stop arranged in said socket and adapted to engage thegroove in the plunger, substantially as set forth.

CLARENCE MGCLELAN EVELE'I'H.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. CUTTER, LIZZIE M. EVELETH.

